Ofla
Encyclopedia
Ofla is one of the 36 woreda
s in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Debubawi Zone
, Ofla is bordered on the south by Alamata
, on the west by the Amhara Region
, on the north by Endamehoni
, and on the east by Raya Azebo
. Towns in Ofla include Korem
and Zikuya.
, where Christopher da Gama was defeated in the Battle of Wofla
in 1543, and afterwards captured then killed by Imam
Ahmad Gragn. Another local landmark is Hugumburda State Forest, which contains the highest portion of an extensive area of indigenous coniferous forest.
Construction began by March 2009 on six health stations in this woreda which would extend health service coverage to six kebele
s and benefit 150,000 inhabitants in and near the woreda. The budget for this construction, set at seven million Birr
, was provided by the Ethiopian Federal government and the woreda administration.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 126,889, an increase of 17.94% over the 1994 census, of whom 62,278 are men and 64,611 women; no urban inhabitants were reported. With an area of 1,019.76 square kilometers, Ofla has a population density of 124.43, which is greater than the Zone average of 53.91 persons per square kilometer. A total of 29,571 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.29 persons to a household, and 28,717 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 124,484, of whom 60,735 were men and 63,749 were women; 17,152 or 13.78% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Ofla were the Tigrayan
(89.2%), the Agaw
Kamyr (7.27%), and the Amhara
(3.46%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.07% of the population. Tigrinya
was spoken as a first language by 88.07%, 6.94% Kamyr, and 1.36% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 3.63% spoke all other primary languages reported. 95.11% of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 11.43% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 9.11% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 15.71%; 11.43% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 3.85% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; 1.92% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 63.5% of the urban houses and 12% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 27% of the urban and 6% of the total had toilet facilities.
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
s in the Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Part of the Debubawi Zone
Debubawi Zone
Debubawi is one of five Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Debubawi is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Mehakelegnaw , the north by Misraqawi and on the east by the Afar Region...
, Ofla is bordered on the south by Alamata
Alamata (woreda)
Alamata is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debubawi Zone, Alamata is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Ofla, and on the northeast by Raya Azebo...
, on the west by the Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
, on the north by Endamehoni
Endamehoni
Endamehoni is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debubawi Zone, Endamehoni is bordered on the south by Ofla, on the west by the Amhara Region, on the north by Alaje, and on the east by Raya Azebo...
, and on the east by Raya Azebo
Raya Azebo
Raya Azebo is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is named in part after the and who with the Yejju Oromo are the northernmost groups of the Oromo people. These peoples had settled in the area by the 17th century...
. Towns in Ofla include Korem
Korem
Korem is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located on the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2539 meters above sea level.Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Korem...
and Zikuya.
Overview
Within the boundaries of this woreda is Lake AshengeLake Ashenge
Lake Ashenge is a lake in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Ethiopian highlands at an elevation of 2409 meters, it has no outlet...
, where Christopher da Gama was defeated in the Battle of Wofla
Battle of Wofla
The Battle of Wofla was fought on August 28, 1542 near Lake Ashenge in Wofla in the modern Ethiopian Region of Tigray , between the Portuguese under Cristóvão da Gama and the forces of Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi...
in 1543, and afterwards captured then killed by Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Ahmad Gragn. Another local landmark is Hugumburda State Forest, which contains the highest portion of an extensive area of indigenous coniferous forest.
Construction began by March 2009 on six health stations in this woreda which would extend health service coverage to six kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
s and benefit 150,000 inhabitants in and near the woreda. The budget for this construction, set at seven million Birr
Ethiopian birr
The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well....
, was provided by the Ethiopian Federal government and the woreda administration.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the Central Statistical AgencyCentral Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)
The Central Statistical Agency is an agency of the government of Ethiopia designated to provide all surveys and censuses for that country used to monitor economic and social growth, as well as to act as an official training center in that field. It is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and...
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 126,889, an increase of 17.94% over the 1994 census, of whom 62,278 are men and 64,611 women; no urban inhabitants were reported. With an area of 1,019.76 square kilometers, Ofla has a population density of 124.43, which is greater than the Zone average of 53.91 persons per square kilometer. A total of 29,571 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.29 persons to a household, and 28,717 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 124,484, of whom 60,735 were men and 63,749 were women; 17,152 or 13.78% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Ofla were the Tigrayan
Tigray-Tigrinya people
Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions...
(89.2%), the Agaw
Agaw
The Agaw are an ethnic group in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.-History:The Agaw are perhaps first mentioned in the 3rd c. AD Aksumite inscription recorded by Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 6th century...
Kamyr (7.27%), and the Amhara
Amhara people
Amhara are a highland people inhabiting the Northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Numbering about 19.8 million people, they comprise 26% of the country's population, according to the 2007 national census...
(3.46%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.07% of the population. Tigrinya
Tigrinya language
Tigrinya , also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrnia, Tigrina, Tigriña, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is a Semitic language spoken by the Tigrinya people in central Eritrea , where it is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia , where it...
was spoken as a first language by 88.07%, 6.94% Kamyr, and 1.36% spoke Amharic
Amharic language
Amharic is a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It is the second most-spoken Semitic language in the world, after Arabic, and the official working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it has official status and is used nationwide. Amharic is also the official or working...
; the remaining 3.63% spoke all other primary languages reported. 95.11% of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 11.43% were Muslim
Islam in Ethiopia
According to the latest 2007 national census, Islam is the second most widely practised religion in Ethiopia after Christianity, with over 25 million of Ethiopians adhering to Islam according to the 2007 national census, having arrived in Ethiopia in 615...
. Concerning education
Education in Ethiopia
Education in Ethiopia has been dominated by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for many centuries until secular education was adopted in the early 1900s. Prior to 1974, Ethiopia had an estimated illiteracy rate well above 90% and compared poorly with the rest of Africa in the provision of schools and...
, 9.11% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 15.71%; 11.43% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 3.85% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; 1.92% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
Water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia
Access to water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia is amongst the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa and the entire world. While access has increased substantially with funding from external aid, much still remains to be done to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the share of people...
, about 63.5% of the urban houses and 12% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 27% of the urban and 6% of the total had toilet facilities.